Central Virginia Governor's School for Science and Technology
Encyclopedia
The Central Virginia Governor's School for Science and Technology (CVGS) is a magnet school located in Lynchburg, Virginia
and directed by Dr. Stephen Smith. Students of this school are chosen from Lynchburg-area county and city schools. Schools participating in the Governor's School include schools from Amherst County
(Amherst County High School
), Appomattox County
(Appomattox County High School
), Bedford County
(Jefferson Forest High School
, Liberty High School
, Staunton River High School
), Campbell County
(Altavista High School, Brookville High School
, Rustburg High School
, William Campbell High School), and the City of Lynchburg (E. C. Glass High School
, Heritage High School
).
Students attend the Governor's School during their Junior and Senior years. They take mathematics and science courses at the Governor's School in the morning and return to their home high schools in the afternoon for the remainder of their classes. Apart from its math and science courses, the Governor's School also offers Junior Research and Senior Seminar, classes particular to this Governor's School. These classes are designed to expose students to areas they may not have had in their regular schools. Junior Research introduces CVGS juniors to research and the scientific process, skills that are invaluable later on in college environments. Senior Seminar gives CVGS seniors a taste of different uses of technology in science.
The program is housed in its own state-of-the-art facility and is governed by a regional board composed of a school board member from each participating division. Financial support for the school is provided by the participating school divisions, the Gifted Programs Office of the Virginia Department of Education and Region 2000 business and industry partners.
During the fall semester, students are enrolled in IST 120—Microsoft Excel through the Central Virginia Community College
. The 1 credit hour pass/fail course introduces students to spreadsheet operations including editing and formatting data, performing calculations, creating graphs, and printing functions. Enrollment in this class also provides students with access to the State Council of Higher Education's Virtual Library of Virginia
(VIVA) system that they can use to gather background information for their research project.
During the spring semester, the students are involved in an internship with a local business or company. Students are also involved in group technology projects that range from writing elementary program tutorials to optimizing organizations' web pages.
The first six weeks students spend on the Engineering Bridge Project. Each of the remaining 5 six week periods students spend in a Technology Laboratory or working on a Senior Research Project. Students also have the option of an Internship during the last two six week periods of the year.
Students work in groups of three and learn how to set up the holography equipment, expose the film, and develop the film for transmission and reflection hologram. Students produce a variety of holograms including two-beam transmission, focused-image, reflection, rainbow, and stereogram portraits. Applications of holography can also be explored such as optical image processing, optical data storage, and the use of holographic interferometry for structural disturbance analysis or vibrational analysis. (see Holography
)
In the nuclear science lab, students explore radioisotope characteristics and applications, gamma ray spectroscopy, or radon monitoring. Laboratory investigations utilize scalar rate meters interfaced to Geiger-Mueller tubes, nuclear scintillation spectrometry, electret-passive environmental radon monitoring (E-Perm) systems, Cs-137/Ba-137 iosogenerators, and Excel for data analysis.
Students familiarize themselves with radioisotope behavior and then investigate biological, chemical, physics, and industrial applications of their choice. Current issues involving nuclear technology are also examined such as the problem of high radon concentrations found in many new energy efficient homes. (see Nuclear Science in Atomic Nucleus
)
(see High speed photography
)
Students learn the basic principles of robotics and the computer programming required to control it. The robotics lab contains a model of an industrial robot, the Rhino XR-3. A conveyor belt, sorter and turn table are all part of the workcell. The complete setup is a scale model of the type used in industrial manufacturing systems. The students also build and program a robot using Legos and accompanying software. The laboratory is exploratory in nature with students using instructional manuals and other resource materials to discover basic principles of robotics, and to learn how to manipulate the robot. (see Robotics
)
(see Desktop Publishing
)
(see Computer Aided Drafting)
(see Geographic Information Systems)
(see Electron Microscope
)
(see Microbiology
)
(see Biotechnology
)
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
and directed by Dr. Stephen Smith. Students of this school are chosen from Lynchburg-area county and city schools. Schools participating in the Governor's School include schools from Amherst County
Amherst County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,894 people, 11,941 households, and 8,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 67 people per square mile . There were 12,958 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile...
(Amherst County High School
Amherst County High School
Amherst County High School is a suburban public high school, grades 9–12, serving Amherst County, Virginia. As the only high school in the county, ACHS offers a comprehensive roster of classes, from advanced classes to classes offered through a program of reciprocity with local colleges that...
), Appomattox County
Appomattox County, Virginia
Appomattox County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 14,973. Its county seat is Appomattox. For a long time, Appomattox was a prohibition or dry county...
(Appomattox County High School
Appomattox County High School
Appomattox County High School is a public high school located in Appomattox, Virginia. Appomattox has an enrollment of 686 as of 2008. Its teams are known as the Raiders and its colors are blue, grey, and red. The school was built in 1973...
), Bedford County
Bedford County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 60,371 people, 23,838 households, and 18,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 26,841 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile...
(Jefferson Forest High School
Jefferson Forest High School
Jefferson Forest High School is one of the three high schools in Bedford County, Virginia. Jefferson Forest HS opened in 1972 with a population of 970 students.-Characteristics:...
, Liberty High School
Liberty High School (Bedford, Virginia)
Liberty High School is one of the three high schools in Bedford County, Virginia. Liberty HS opened in 1964. Its mascot is the "Minuteman." School colors are red, white and navy blue. The school serves students from Villamont, Thaxton, Montvale, Big Island and the City of Bedford.- Student body...
, Staunton River High School
Staunton River High School
Staunton River High School is one of the three high schools in Bedford County, Virginia. SRHS opened in 1964.-Mission statement:The primary mission of Staunton River High School isto assist all students in acquiring the knowledge...
), Campbell County
Campbell County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,078 people, 20,639 households, and 14,694 families residing in the county. The population density was 101 people per square mile . There were 22,088 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...
(Altavista High School, Brookville High School
Brookville High School (Virginia)
Brookville High School is a high school in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States.The school was founded in 1926 with the first elementary classes beginning in November. The first high school classes began in 1927 with 2 teachers, and the first graduating class was 1930, with three graduates. The last...
, Rustburg High School
Rustburg High School
Rustburg High School is a public school for grades nine through 12, located in Rustburg, Virginia. It is one of four high schools that are part of the Campbell County Public Schools, along with Altavista High School, Brookville High School, and William Campbell High School.- Brief history...
, William Campbell High School), and the City of Lynchburg (E. C. Glass High School
E. C. Glass High School
E. C. Glass High School is a public school in Lynchburg, Virginia. It was founded in 1871 as Lynchburg High School and was named for long-time Superintendent of Public Schools in Lynchburg, Edward Christian Glass.Some of the awards and recognition for E. C...
, Heritage High School
Heritage High School (Lynchburg, Virginia)
Heritage High School is a public high school located in Lynchburg, Virginia.The school is a part of Lynchburg City Public Schools District. Mark Miear is the head principal . Heritage has enrollment of 1102 as of 2011...
).
Students attend the Governor's School during their Junior and Senior years. They take mathematics and science courses at the Governor's School in the morning and return to their home high schools in the afternoon for the remainder of their classes. Apart from its math and science courses, the Governor's School also offers Junior Research and Senior Seminar, classes particular to this Governor's School. These classes are designed to expose students to areas they may not have had in their regular schools. Junior Research introduces CVGS juniors to research and the scientific process, skills that are invaluable later on in college environments. Senior Seminar gives CVGS seniors a taste of different uses of technology in science.
The program is housed in its own state-of-the-art facility and is governed by a regional board composed of a school board member from each participating division. Financial support for the school is provided by the participating school divisions, the Gifted Programs Office of the Virginia Department of Education and Region 2000 business and industry partners.
Senior Year
- Senior Seminar
- Computer ScienceComputer scienceComputer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
- BiologyBiologyBiology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
- CalculusCalculusCalculus is a branch of mathematics focused on limits, functions, derivatives, integrals, and infinite series. This subject constitutes a major part of modern mathematics education. It has two major branches, differential calculus and integral calculus, which are related by the fundamental theorem...
- Math Connections
- Linear AlgebraLinear algebraLinear algebra is a branch of mathematics that studies vector spaces, also called linear spaces, along with linear functions that input one vector and output another. Such functions are called linear maps and can be represented by matrices if a basis is given. Thus matrix theory is often...
/Vector Calculus - Anatomy and Physiology
Junior Research
Junior Research is an introduction to the research process; it gives students experience in designing individual projects, running elementary statistical analysis, project research, and scientific writing. Students use these skills to design their own project; they report their results in paper, and WWW page formats.During the fall semester, students are enrolled in IST 120—Microsoft Excel through the Central Virginia Community College
Central Virginia Community College
Central Virginia Community College, CVCC, is a two-year college located in Lynchburg, Virginia and is part of the Virginia Community College System...
. The 1 credit hour pass/fail course introduces students to spreadsheet operations including editing and formatting data, performing calculations, creating graphs, and printing functions. Enrollment in this class also provides students with access to the State Council of Higher Education's Virtual Library of Virginia
Virtual Library of Virginia
The Virtual Library of Virginia is the consortium of the nonprofit academic libraries within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Members include all of the 39 state-assisted colleges and universities , as well as 32 of the independent institutions and the Library of...
(VIVA) system that they can use to gather background information for their research project.
During the spring semester, the students are involved in an internship with a local business or company. Students are also involved in group technology projects that range from writing elementary program tutorials to optimizing organizations' web pages.
Senior Seminar
Senior Seminar provides seniors with the opportunity to continue developing their individual research skills, to learn more about current topics in science and mathematics, and to use sophisticated technology which is part of the modern research setting. Students pursue topics on an individual basis and in small groups. They are encouraged to develop an individual research project to be presented to the Virginia Junior Academy of Science and to enter in the Intel Science Talent Search Competition or in the Central Virginia Regional Science Fair.The first six weeks students spend on the Engineering Bridge Project. Each of the remaining 5 six week periods students spend in a Technology Laboratory or working on a Senior Research Project. Students also have the option of an Internship during the last two six week periods of the year.
Physical Science Labs
- Holography
Students work in groups of three and learn how to set up the holography equipment, expose the film, and develop the film for transmission and reflection hologram. Students produce a variety of holograms including two-beam transmission, focused-image, reflection, rainbow, and stereogram portraits. Applications of holography can also be explored such as optical image processing, optical data storage, and the use of holographic interferometry for structural disturbance analysis or vibrational analysis. (see Holography
Holography
Holography is a technique that allows the light scattered from an object to be recorded and later reconstructed so that when an imaging system is placed in the reconstructed beam, an image of the object will be seen even when the object is no longer present...
)
- Nuclear Science
In the nuclear science lab, students explore radioisotope characteristics and applications, gamma ray spectroscopy, or radon monitoring. Laboratory investigations utilize scalar rate meters interfaced to Geiger-Mueller tubes, nuclear scintillation spectrometry, electret-passive environmental radon monitoring (E-Perm) systems, Cs-137/Ba-137 iosogenerators, and Excel for data analysis.
Students familiarize themselves with radioisotope behavior and then investigate biological, chemical, physics, and industrial applications of their choice. Current issues involving nuclear technology are also examined such as the problem of high radon concentrations found in many new energy efficient homes. (see Nuclear Science in Atomic Nucleus
Atomic nucleus
The nucleus is the very dense region consisting of protons and neutrons at the center of an atom. It was discovered in 1911, as a result of Ernest Rutherford's interpretation of the famous 1909 Rutherford experiment performed by Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden, under the direction of Rutherford. The...
)
- High Speed Photography
(see High speed photography
High speed photography
High speed photography is the science of taking pictures of very fast phenomena. In 1948, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers defined high-speed photography as any set of photographs captured by a camera capable of 128 frames per second or greater, and of at least three...
)
Computer Application Labs
- Robotics
Students learn the basic principles of robotics and the computer programming required to control it. The robotics lab contains a model of an industrial robot, the Rhino XR-3. A conveyor belt, sorter and turn table are all part of the workcell. The complete setup is a scale model of the type used in industrial manufacturing systems. The students also build and program a robot using Legos and accompanying software. The laboratory is exploratory in nature with students using instructional manuals and other resource materials to discover basic principles of robotics, and to learn how to manipulate the robot. (see Robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
)
- Desktop Publishing
(see Desktop Publishing
Desktop publishing
Desktop publishing is the creation of documents using page layout software on a personal computer.The term has been used for publishing at all levels, from small-circulation documents such as local newsletters to books, magazines and newspapers...
)
- Computer Aided Drafting (CAD)
(see Computer Aided Drafting)
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
(see Geographic Information Systems)
Life Science Labs
- Electron Microscope
(see Electron Microscope
Electron microscope
An electron microscope is a type of microscope that uses a beam of electrons to illuminate the specimen and produce a magnified image. Electron microscopes have a greater resolving power than a light-powered optical microscope, because electrons have wavelengths about 100,000 times shorter than...
)
- General Microbiology
(see Microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
)
- Biotechnology
(see Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
)